On 29 March 2025 in Guangzhou, the EU SME Centre, the China-Italy Chamber of Commerce, and the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China successfully held the roundtable workshop “Business and Innovation for European SMEs in the Greater Bay Area”. Gathering SME representatives, industry leaders and business experts, the event led to in-depth discussions on the current opportunities, challenges, and practical strategies for European companies in one of China’s leading economic areas.
The event started with opening remarks from Lorenzo Riccardi, Chairman of the China-Italy Chamber of Commerce, and H.E. Massimo Ambrosetti, Ambassador of Italy to the People’s Republic of China. Wang Hongjian, Official of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT) Guangdong and Executive Secretary-General of the Guangdong Chamber of International Commerce, presented the current preferential policies to facilitate foreign investment and business operations in Guangdong Province.
This introduction was followed by keynote presentations by Professor Giovanni Tria, Former Italian Minister of Economy and Finance, Professor Enrico Giovannini, Former Italian Minister of Infrastructure and Sustainable Mobility and former Minister of Labour and Social Policies, who analysed the economic trends impacting European businesses in China, and narrowed in on economic scenarios and opportunities in the Greater Bay Area.
Liam Jia, Team Leader at the EU SME Centre, served as the master of ceremony for the event, ensuring a smooth flow of discussions and facilitating engagement among the speakers and attendees.
Industry leaders and experts took part in the event’s two panel discussions. The first panel explored real-case opportunities, challenges, and success strategies of several Italian companies in the Greater Bay Area with Massimiliano Guelfo, Chief Marketing Officer of Piaggio China, Simone Incontro, General Manager of Veronafiere, Alessandro Muffato, Asia Operations Director of Luxottica, Francesco Muggeri, Vice President of Marketing at STMicroelectronics, and Livia Stivanello, Managing Director Asia of Visottica Group. The session was moderated by Francesco Pensabene, Italian Trade Commissioner to China and Mongolia.
The second panel discussion examined the role played by innovation, digitalisation, and green finance in the growth potential of European SMEs in the GBA. The panel featured Professor Antonello Garzoni, Magnificent Rector of the LUM Giuseppe Degennaro University of Bari, Professor Roberto Donà, Professor of Practice in Management Strategy at IBSS@XJTLU, Simone Ciampi, Vice Chair of the ICT Working Group of the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China, and Fabien Pacory, Vice-President of the French Chamber of Commerce and Industry in China. Klaus Zenkel, Vice President of the European Chamber, moderated the discussion, facilitating an engaging exchange of knowledge and strategies in R&D, financing and sustainability.
The event concluded with a networking session, providing attendees with a valuable opportunity to connect with peers in the Greater Bay Area. The EU SME Centre’s activities are centred around the goal of supporting European SMEs in their market entry strategies and business operations in the Chinese market. With trainings, tailored advice, and key market insights for SMEs of every industry, the Centre strives to provide a full range of first-line support services for European enterprises navigating China’s complex and evolving business environment. Learn more about our services >
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